The present invention relates to portable cleaning and polishing machines, and more particularly concerns a hand held orbital cleaner and polisher having an improved housing for mounting the drive motor and controls therefor.
Portable cleaning and polishing machines, such as those now widely used for polishing and cleaning of automobile exterior surfaces, frequently embody an electric motor carrying an eccentrically mounted polishing pad which is driven in a noncircular or orbital motion. Typical machines of this type are shown in the U.S. Pat. Nos. to Bailey, et al 3,531,812, Stout 3,445,877, and Zaccone 3,448,476. In some of these machines a motor carries an eccentrically driven metal pan to which is secured a polishing pad. The motor is mounted within a housing that may have a skirt projecting downwardly toward the pad and one or more handles are connected to the housing to enable the machine to be held by the operator during a polishing operation. Machines of this type have frequently employed an on/off toggle type switch mounted in the housing body. This mounting makes it difficult for the operator to control the motor since such machines are sufficiently heavy and powerful to require the operator to use both hands to support and/or control the machine during operation. It is at best awkward and at worst impossible for the operator to actuate such a switch while both hands are used to support and control the motion of the polisher.
Polishing machines of this nature are heavy and subject to abuse in the field, often being dropped considerable distances to concrete surfaces. In such a fall the weight of the motor and the protrusion of handles attached to the case combine to damage the case, often forcibly separating the motor from its mounting within the case or housing, or fracturing the housing.
Where metal handles and housings are employed, the equipment is subject to shock hazard and the point of attachment of the handle to the housing is a weaker area that is subject to more frequent damage if the machine is accidentally dropped.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable polishing machine that eliminates or minimizes above-mentioned disadvantages and provides an improved housing that is more rugged, more durable, more efficient in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.